Is your goal to generate leads - or to generate BETTER leads?

The owner of an Irish contracting company that we’ve been working with for years said to me one day, ‘Tiff, we used to waste huge resources pricing work we didn’t want, or knew we wouldn’t win. We had leads coming out our ears, but they weren’t good leads. Now we’re pricing fewer jobs, but we’re winning more of them, and usually we’re not the lowest bid. Turnover and profitability is up - but the cost base is down.’

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What IS cold outreach anyway?

When people hear our company name Generate Leads, they think COLD calling, SPAMMY LinkedIn messages, PAYING for prospect databases, FRAGILE appointment setting, and IMPERSONAL sales automation.

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We don't do that at all.

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Cold outreach interrupts people going about their day by trying to sell them something they don’t need because they weren’t actively looking for a solution - they may not have even known they had a problem.

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Why would anyone do that? (Dunno about you but I usually block them because they haven’t done their research and they’re spamming my inbox.)

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So what’s inbound lead generation then?

Instead of chasing prospects, you create visibility and credibility so that prospects come to you.

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This is achieved by growing a target audience that is listening to you, helping them to understand complex problems and nurturing them toward your solution - OVER TIME. The time bit is key - there is no silver bullet, it doesn’t happen overnight, and it needs investment of time from C Suite. These things are non-negotiable.

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When you accept these elements you can set about strategically planning:

• Thought leadership content creation
• Case studies
• Client success stories
• LinkedIn content
• Industry commentary
• Video content
• Presentations
• Websites that clearly communicate expertise

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With the result that when a potential client recognises they have a problem, your solution is already known, trusted - the audience is listening.

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Why are inbound leads better?

Project wins we see rarely happen because of a cold email, a stab in the dark, a hail mary.

The lead is created because someone says:

"I've been following your content."

"I saw your project online."

"I heard you speak at an event."

"Your name keeps coming up."

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These opportunities are stronger because:

• The client knows you understand their problems
• They understand the benefits of your approach to delivering the solution
• They approach you early for help, guidance and expertise
• Price becomes less important
• The relationship starts from a position of credibility

Read that again. They approach you.

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And that’s why they’re called ‘inbound leads’.

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Does content marketing work for engineering companies?

Yes.

But not for the reasons you might think.

Content marketing is about making expertise visible.

Many engineering companies have extraordinary technical capability but nobody outside the business knows about it.

Content bridges that gap.

It helps clients, partners, recruits and stakeholders understand:

• What you do
• Who you help
• Why your approach works
• The complexity of the projects you delivered
• What expertise you bring to the table

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How long does content marketing take to work?

This is one of the most common questions we hear.

The honest answer is that content marketing behaves more like compound interest than advertising.

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The first few months are often about building foundations:

• Defining your message
• Clarifying your audience
• Creating consistent content
• Building visibility

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Over time, the effects compound.

You become more recognisable.

More trusted.

More credible.

More memorable.

Eventually opportunities begin to appear that cannot be traced to any single post, article or video.

That's because your target audience has been listening, watching, reading and evaluating your expertise for months or even years.

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Why do construction, engineering and architecture companies think marketing is a pain in the ****?

Because they don’t have anyone internally with the capacity, or the experience or the knowledge of how it works to actually drive it on. Everybody is too busy with the day job. Nobody wants to do it. They’re afraid to get it wrong.

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What does Generate Leads actually do?

It's a strategic thought leadership content marketing agency for architecture, engineering, construction and property businesses.

We help firms:

• Clarify their message
• Identify their audiences
• Develop their thought leadership position
• Create content that demonstrates expertise
• Build a stronger more differentiated brand
• Generate inbound enquiries
• Improve recruitment outcomes
• Support business development efforts

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Yep, seems counter-intuitive, but our goal is not to generate leads.

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Our goal is to generate better leads.

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